OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in the practice of sexual counseling by cardiac nurses. METHODS: A non-experimental descriptive design was used to analyze survey data collected at 2 time points: 1994 (n = 171) and 2009 (n = 288). RESULTS: Nurses in the 2009 sample reported more conservative values (P < .001) and greater sense of responsibility for providing sexual counseling (P < .0001) than those in the 1994 sample. Although sexual activities (cuddling, kissing, fondling, masturbation, oral sex) were discussed more frequently by nurses in the 1994 survey (P < .001), improvements in the specific discussion of myocardial infarction-related sexual activity and counseling were noted in the 2009 sample, including by patient age and gender (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: Comparison of the 2 data samples suggests an improving trend in provision of sexual counseling by cardiac nurses, which can be reinforced by including sexual counseling information and role-play opportunities in continuing education courses.
OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in the practice of sexual counseling by cardiac nurses. METHODS: A non-experimental descriptive design was used to analyze survey data collected at 2 time points: 1994 (n = 171) and 2009 (n = 288). RESULTS: Nurses in the 2009 sample reported more conservative values (P < .001) and greater sense of responsibility for providing sexual counseling (P < .0001) than those in the 1994 sample. Although sexual activities (cuddling, kissing, fondling, masturbation, oral sex) were discussed more frequently by nurses in the 1994 survey (P < .001), improvements in the specific discussion of myocardial infarction-related sexual activity and counseling were noted in the 2009 sample, including by patient age and gender (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: Comparison of the 2 data samples suggests an improving trend in provision of sexual counseling by cardiac nurses, which can be reinforced by including sexual counseling information and role-play opportunities in continuing education courses.
Authors: Emily M Abramsohn; Carole Decker; Brian Garavalia; Linda Garavalia; Kensey Gosch; Harlan M Krumholz; John A Spertus; Stacy Tessler Lindau Journal: J Am Heart Assoc Date: 2013-07-24 Impact factor: 5.501